Cabbage Patch Kids®

I still love to go into Babyland General. Even though I am 50+, to go see the "magic" in the kids eyes is awesome. To see a little boy or girl take an oath to be a good parent and the love in their eyes for these dolls is so special. What a magical place. Love taking my grandchildren there. You see such an excitement in their eyes. It is contagious.

- Debbie, Marietta, GA

This story was submitted as part of the 100 Toys Project at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Vote for your favorite and share a toy memory through Aug. 17, 2012.

Being from Cleveland, Georgia, the Cabbage Patch Kids hold a special place in my heart. I remember when the craze hit the world and everyone from White County was happy that that so 'Kids found new homes all over the world!! Now, I am fortunate enough to play with the 'Kids everyday and watch them continue to grow. :)

- Cindy, Cleveland, GA

This story was submitted as part of the 100 Toys Project at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Vote for your favorite and share a toy memory through Aug. 17, 2012.

In my family there are 3 children. I was the youngest with 2 older brothers. My brothers got cabbage patch kids before I did and they were birthday cabbage patch kids. When you squeezed them, the birthday popper would make a noise. As the youngest of course I stole these dolls as my own when my brothers grew out of them.

- Caitlin, Melbourne, Australia

This story was submitted as part of the 100 Toys Project at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Vote for your favorite and share a toy memory through Aug. 17, 2012.

I had a few, but my first one will always be my favorite. Sadly, Conway and I are no longer together. He had curly brown hair, came wearing a red cordery overall with a little elephant, and he went every place I did. I would sleep with him at night, hold him if I was scared, I even was able to take him to Germany with me. I had great times with Conway.

- Nicole, Pendleton, IN

This story was submitted as part of the 100 Toys Project at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Vote for your favorite and share a toy memory through Aug. 17, 2012.

I got my first Cabbage Patch doll for Christmas when I was 3 years old. 26 years later I still have him, and his my most cherished childhood keepsake. I have long since lost his original clothes, but I still have him.

- Amanda, Larimore, ND

This story was submitted as part of the 100 Toys Project at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Vote for your favorite and share a toy memory through Aug. 17, 2012.

I remember getting my first Cabbage Patch Doll, Cheryl, for Christmas in the early to mid-80s. My Dad was the manager of a local department store and was able to score one of the coveted dolls for me. I carried it everywhere I went. One particular time, I remember taking the train from Indiana to Pittsburgh. Because of the heavy demand with such a small supply available, my mom was so worried it would be stolen while I slept. She sat and kept a vigil the entire time to keep my precious doll safe. I think before the craze was over, I ended up with 6 or 8 of the dolls. Cheryl was always my favorite though.

- Beth Ann, Avon, IN

This story was submitted as part of the 100 Toys Project at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Vote for your favorite and share a toy memory through Aug. 17, 2012.

My son had a Cabbage Patch doll named Buster Sidney. He carried him around in cloth "baby" carrier. Buster had 2 changes of clothes - a winter and summer outfit. Buster gave my only child a constant companion.

- Cheryl, Indianapolis

This story was submitted as part of the 100 Toys Project at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Vote for your favorite and share a toy memory through Aug. 17, 2012.

I'm half hispanic and half white..growing up I had long dark brown hair, green eyes, and chubby cheeks. Needless to say, I resembled a cabbage patch kid. It became a big joke with everyone and even some of my friends in elementary school began calling me CPK. I didnt mind the nickname, I would just laugh it off. So for my birthday that year my mom got me the cabbage patch kid I looked like and I loved it...I slept with it every night and I still have it now, as I'm 22!

- Vanessa, Indianapolis

This story was submitted as part of the 100 Toys Project at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Vote for your favorite and share a toy memory through Aug. 17, 2012.

 

When the first kids came out, I told my mom exactly the kind of Kid I wanted for Christmas. My mother told my God-mother to look for the Kid I wanted. My God-mother worked in a department store. The store just got a shipment of the Kids, and my God-mother found just the one I wanted. Christmas morning, there she was..Aurora Ellen, smelling just like baby powder!!!

- Melissa, Bloomington, IN

This story was submitted as part of the 100 Toys Project at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Vote for your favorite and share a toy memory through Aug. 17, 2012.

One of the great things about Cabbage Patch Kids in the 80s was that they had kids of every hue, which is something that most dolls didn't offer. I had a dark brown cabbage patch kid with black yarn hair and dimples who looked just like me. My mom found fashion shows where girls (and boys) would dress in outfits to match their cabbage patches. I just remember it being so fun to have a doll dressed like me and to carry her down the 'runway' to clapping family members. These were just wholesome, fun afternoons where kids got to dress up to play with their dolls, and I loved them.

- Katrice, San Diego, CA

This story was submitted as part of the 100 Toys Project at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Vote for your favorite and share a toy memory through Aug. 17, 2012.

I got my cabbage patch doll for Christmas when I was 2. From then on we were unable to be separated. To this day, she still is here with me. I got her as a gift from my grandma! And we did everything together. Her name is Melanie and she has traveled with me everywhere I have lived all my life. She is now 20 yrs old and she even still has a cabbage patch horse that I got with her! She's dirty and needs some repairs but is still my favorite toy I ever received. We went on trips together, and played for hours on end, just us. I may be 22 but she will always be mine! And I now get the joy of sharing her with my niece when she visits!

- Leah, Westfield, IN

This story was submitted as part of the 100 Toys Project at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Vote for your favorite and share a toy memory through Aug. 17, 2012.

My father got in line at 3 AM to buy these dolls for a sister and me. Cabbage Patch Fever was alive and well in our little town! I still have Debby, with her blonde pigtails, blue eyes, dimple and pink knit dress, the elastic well worn and not holding the bloomers up too well anymore. I learned to sew because I wanted her to have more choices in her wardrobe. I wonder if my decision to become a foster mom was born from this childhood toy that championed adoption.

- Krysten, Peru, IN

This story was submitted as part of the 100 Toys Project at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Vote for your favorite and share a toy memory through Aug. 17, 2012

It all started with my first birthday. My mom got me my first cabbage patch. I got one every year after that until I was 15. I have no girls of my own so I keep the tradition going with my nieces.

- Sarah, South Bend, IN

This story was submitted as part of the 100 Toys Project at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Vote for your favorite and share a toy memory through Aug. 17, 2012.

I had many of the cabbage patch kids, along with my little sister. My parents would wait in line to get them for us for Christmas, birthdays, etc. We even got the talking cabbage patch kids one year for Christmas! My 7 year old daughter now has my Talking Cabbage Patch kid! Even though she no longer talks, she still brings joy to another child's life. Cabbage patch kids to me are very iconic. We had so many of them, including the ponies, and the Koosa kids. My daughter also has a Cabbage Patch from the 80's named Mavis. She was given to my husbands grandmother when she was going through breast cancer treatment. So many stories and so much love.

- Jessica, Pendleton, IN

This story was submitted as part of the 100 Toys Project at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Vote for your favorite and share a toy memory through Aug. 17, 2012.

The year the Cabbage Patch Kid came out it was all I wanted for Christmas but they were impossible to find and I thought there was no way I would get one but my dad installed carpet for someone who had one and he did the installation at no cost so he could get me the doll. My mom sewed clothes for her and I loved her, took her everywhere. She is still in my parents attic with her little suitcase of clothes.

- Kelly, Fishers, IN

This story was submitted as part of the 100 Toys Project at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Vote for your favorite and share a toy memory through Aug. 17, 2012.

My mom told me that when the stores ran out of Cabbage Patch Kids you had to pre-order them. She describes waiting at Children's Palace by the loading dock to receive two for me and my sister. They stated it would cause a frenzy if people knew they had them.

- Anna, Brownsburg, IN

This story was submitted as part of the 100 Toys Project at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Vote for your favorite and share a toy memory through Aug. 17, 2012.

I was so excited when I saw this toy on here. I received my Cabbage Patch Doll when I was 2 years old. I wasn't talking a whole lot, so his name was Baby Boy. I carried this toy everywhere I went and loved him to death. This doll went with me everywhere. I even used it to beat my sister up once when she was being mean to me. When I was in fourth grade, my mom tried to throw it away and I balled so she kept it and gave it back to me. In seventh grade she tried again and it still didn't work. In high school I still kept this doll on my dresser. When I went away to college this doll went with me and stayed in my dorm room. Now that I am an adult, I still have this doll and he sits on my desk dresser. I have had this doll my whole life. If you inspect him you can tell that he has been through life. He also has my favorite outfit on because I collect elephants and it has one in the left side corner. This was a perfect doll for me and I will keep it forever!

- Daidra, Lebanon, IN

This story was submitted as part of the 100 Toys Project at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Vote for your favorite and share a toy memory through Aug. 17, 2012.

First, I'll start off by saying I still own my original doll named Mindy. My earliest memory was being in the store with my parents the day the dolls came out. They wanted to make sure I had one before they sold out and she had to look just like me too. I fell in love with my doll Mindy and spent every minute with her and changed her outfits and bought feeding accessories and a car seat for her too.

- Erica, Anderson, Indiana

This story was submitted as part of the 100 Toys Project at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Vote for your favorite and share a toy memory through Aug. 17, 2012.

I may not be from the generation that grew up with the Cabbage Patch Kids but they where passed down to me and my cousin from out aunt. She had a small collection of them, we would put down what ever we where playing with to play with "patch kids" when she brought them out of the closet.

- Anastasia, Hampton, VA

This story was submitted as part of the 100 Toys Project at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Vote for your favorite and share a toy memory through Aug. 17, 2012.

I was one of the many children who eagerly wanted a Cabbage Kid during the holiday craze. I even had an aunt who specifically went to work at a department store one Christmas so she could get first dibs on a doll for me. My favorite was a preemie doll and discovered I could remove her pacifier and feed her real food. Obviously the doll was not intended for that and her bald head later filled with dots of mold but I thought it was growing hair so I loved her just the same. I fondly recall too the Koosa pets they released later.

- Jenn

This story was submitted as part of the 100 Toys Project at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Vote for your favorite and share a toy memory through Aug. 17, 2012.